League: His ribs may be fragile but Lockyer won't be shaken

If the weight of history hangs heavily on Darren Lockyer's shoulders - or even on his suspect ribs - he does a good job of hiding it.

Tomorrow, Lockyer could become the first Australian captain for 32 years to lose a deciding match to Great Britain. It is a prospect that has haunted and galvanised Kangaroo sides since the 70s, but Lockyer claims it would be no disgrace to come second in the Tri-Nations.

"It enters your mind, but it doesn't add to the pressure," he says of Australia's long period of dominance. "There's pressure going into any test match and I just think that Great Britain are pretty much on a par with us now.

"If New Zealand had had all their players fit, they could have gone close to winning it, too. There's no shame in it for us if we don't win it."

A measure of Great Britain's progress is that only two years ago they were laughed out of Sydney after conceding 64 points in a one-off test. Now, Lockyer says, any of the current side would be welcomed back.

"I think any of these British players could cut it in the NRL," he says.

"There's Paul Sculthorpe, for instance, and Brian Carney - there doesn't seem that much of him when you look at him, but when you play against him you find that he's very strong.

"Stuart Fielden would do well in Australia, but I don't want to leave anyone out, because from one to 17 they're all good players. I'm not sure you could have said that five or six years ago."

And then there is Andy Farrell, the Great Britain captain who this week usurped Lockyer as the world's best player by winning the Rugby League World Golden Boot.

"We all think he deserves it," Lockyer says.

Fair enough and gracious to a fault, but a fully fit Lockyer would probably have won it again. Fit, however, is something he has rarely been this season.

Back in April, he cracked his ribs and has suffered recurring problems since.

And even though a crunch to his ribcage might be the biggest contribution a British player could make to his team's success at Elland Road, Leeds, Lockyer does not expect it.

"I don't think they'll be doing anything over the top to try to test the ribs out. They'll be worrying about their own game."

- Independent